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Q&As since 1989


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Can brass be nickel plated easily?

I would like to nickel plate the brass wheels on some of my older model trains (most newer ones are nickel or nickel plated) in order to reduce the formation of non-conductive oxide that stops the trains. Is there a simple and relatively safe way of doing this at home?

Bob Kingsmill
- Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada
2002

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2002

I really don't like to see consumers do plating because it can escalate into problems, but on the other hand it's possible to be overly concerned, too, and a person with reasonable chemical handling skills could probably do very small scale personal plating without event.

Plating kits for consumers are available from many vendors. If you restrict yourself to these tiny items and only your own items, I think you are very unlikely to have legal problems. If you decide to sell your plating services you become a plating shop and subject to a host of regulations though.

Be sure to follow directions, wear rubber gloves [on eBay or Amazon] and goggles [on eBay or Amazon], and you have a good chance of operating safely. Dumping the solution is what is most likely to get you into trouble. If you were to read the fine print on your sewer permit, you might find that plating solutions are a specifically prohibited substance.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey